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Massive clot of seaweed bears down on Florida coast

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:16:19 GMT

By Suman Naishadham | Associated PressWASHINGTON — A 5,000-mile seaweed belt lurking in the Atlantic Ocean is expected in the next few months to wash onto beaches in the Caribbean Sea, South Florida, and the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico.The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt — as the biomass stretching from West Africa to the Gulf of Mexico is called — contains scattered patches of seaweed on the open sea, rather than one continuous blob of sargassum. It’s not a new occurrence, but satellite images captured in February showed an earlier start than usual for such a large accumulation in the open ocean.Once it washes ashore, sargassum is a nuisance — a thick, brown algae that carpets beaches, releasing a pungent smell as it decays and entangling humans and animals who step into it. For hotels and resorts, clearing the stuff off beaches can amount to a round-the-clock operation.Here’s a look at this year’s sargassum seaweed bloom:WHAT IS SARGASSUM?A leafy brown seaweed fest...

Storm kills at least 5 in San Francisco Bay Area

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:16:19 GMT

(KRON) -- At least five people have been killed in separate incidents during the latest atmospheric river to hit the Bay Area.Two people were killed in two separate storm-related incidents in San Francisco, according to city officials.Around 3:40 p.m. Tuesday, officers with the San Francisco Police Department responded to a report of a downed tree on the 1000 block of Post Street. Officials said two people were transported to the hospital, one with life-threatening injuries and one with non-life-threatening injuries. Video shows couch fly through the San Francisco sky Minutes later around 4 p.m., officers responded to a separate report of a person hit by a fallen tree branch on 23rd Avenue. The person was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.San Francisco officials said they received more than 700 reports of fallen trees and limbs from the storm. San Francisco Mayor London Breed urged residents to check on their friends and families and stay safe in response to the...

AP source: Jets, WR Mecole Hardman agree on 1-year deal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:16:19 GMT

The New York Jets and former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman agreed to terms on a one-year deal Wednesday, according to a person with knowledge of the contract.The speedy and versatile Hardman gives the Jets and new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett another playmaker on what could be a much-improved offense.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Jets hadn’t announced the agreement. ESPN first reported Hardman and the Jets agreed to terms on a contract. Financial terms weren’t immediately available, but NFL Network reported it could be worth up to $6.5 million. The 25-year-old Hardman spent his first four seasons with the Chiefs after being a second-round draft pick out of Georgia in 2019. He has 151 catches for 2,088 yards and 16 touchdowns in his career and has rushed 20 times for 125 yards and two scores. Hardman also adds value on special teams. He has averaged 9.0 yards on punt returns and 23.8 yards on ki...

Suspect who shot 2 faculty members at Denver East High School identified

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:16:19 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — The shooting suspect who injured two faculty members at Denver East High School has been identified. He is still not in police custody. Two faculty members were shot at Denver East High School on Wednesday morning, Denver Public Schools said. The two victims, who are deans at the school, were transported to local hospitals.According to the Denver Police Department, the suspect is 17-year-old Austin Lyle. Lyle is a student at the school and was under a safety plan to be patted down each day before entering the school. Austin Lyle is suspected of shooting two faculty members at Denver East High School on March 22, 2023. (Photo via Denver Police Department)During that search on Wednesday, Lyle got hold of a weapon and shot the two faculty members. He then fled the scene.Thomas said one victim is in serious but stable condition and the other is in surgery and listed as critical. Denver Health identified the victims as Jerald Mason and Eric Sinclair. Denver East High Sc...

Which DPS board members voted to remove school resource officers in 2020?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:16:19 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — On the heels of yet another shooting at Denver East High School, the topic of how to protect students in the classroom and school resource officers has been brought back up.On Wednesday, two faculty members who were deans at East High were shot and transported to a local hospital. The suspect is a male student that was under a safety plan to be patted down each day before entering the school. During that search, the student got hold of a weapon and shot the two faculty members. Dozens of weapons charges in Denver high schools since 2018 In June 2020, the Denver Public School Board unanimously voted to remove student resource officers from campuses, thus ending the district's contract with the Denver Police Department. All SRO positions were eliminated by June 2021. The following school board members voted to remove SROs:Auon'tai AndersonJennifer BaconScott BaldermannAngela Cobián Rev. Brad D LaurvickBarbara O'BrienCarrie OlsonFollowing Wednesday's shooting at ...

Denver East High School shooting suspect identified, still at large

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:16:19 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Two adult faculty members at Denver East High School were shot Wednesday morning while searching a student who attended the school.According to Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas, the student, who has since been identified as 17-year-old Austin Lyle, was being searched as part of a safety plan. Latest updates on Denver East School shooting A source with connections to the district told FOX31 this safety plan was in effect because Lyle had previously been expelled from another district for weapons. FOX31 is working to confirm this information with additional sources.During the search, DPD says a handgun was found and at that point shots were fired. Lyle then ran away from the scene. Data desk: East High School has a history of weapons, violence According to the source, this search was not being conducted by the usual faculty member.The two faculty members who were injured were taken to the hospital. As of 11 a.m. one of them was in serious but stable condition and th...

Widow takes stand in trial of man accused of hiring hitmen that killed her husband

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:16:19 GMT

A widow took the stand Wednesday as a man accused of playing a part of her husband’s murder is facing trial. According to investigators, the suspect was behind the plot to kill her husband. During the second day of the trial for Manuel Marin, the former owner of several El Presidente supermarkets in South Florida, several people with true knowledge about what happened also took the stand. Marin stands accused of commissioning two men to kill his ex-wife’s lover, Camilo Salazar. Salazar’s body was found in the Everglades in June 2011.“You’re not thinking that’s possible, that’s the worse case scenario,” said Daisy Holcombe, Salazar’s widow. “That’s not happening.”Holcombe got emotional as she described the day her husband went missing.“Looking for him, his car, and, our best friend Eddie, started going to hospitals looking for John Doe’s to see if something had happened to him,” Holcombe said. &...

Holy month of Ramadan begins for Muslims across the world

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:16:19 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Muslim holy month of Ramadan began at sundown on Wednesday, as the faithful prepared for a month of dawn-to-dusk fasting intended to bring them closer to God and to remind them of the suffering of those less fortunate.For the next 30 days, Muslims will refrain from eating or drinking anything — even the tiniest sip of water — from sunrise to sunset. Many will strictly observe prayers, read the Quran and donate to charity as they seek to draw closer to God. Family and friends will gather for joyful nightly feasts.This year many will struggle to afford holiday treats amid soaring prices fueled in part by the war in Ukraine. Iran, Egypt and Lebanon are grappling with economic crises that have weakened their local currencies, making things even more expensive.The holy month will also be shadowed by the suffering in Turkey and Syria, where an earthquake last month killed more than 52,000 people, and in conflict zones across the Muslim world, though ...

Stocks fall, bond yields tumble after Fed’s latest rate hike

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:16:19 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks fell after the Federal Reserve announced its latest hike to interest rates, while also saying it may not tighten the screws much more on the economy. The S&P 500 fell 1.6% Wednesday, while Treasury yields fell sharply. The Fed raised its key overnight rate by a quarter of a percentage point, the same size as its last increase, in its campaign to drive down inflation. It also said it may raise rates only one more time as it assesses the fallout from the crisis hitting the banking industry. Banks have been struggling under the weight of much higher rates.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are mixed Wednesday after the Federal Reserve announced its latest hike to interest rates, while also saying it may not tighten the screws much more on the economy and Wall Street.The S&P 500 was 0.2% higher in late trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 35 points, or 0.1%, at 32,525, as of 3:22 p.m. Easte...

Rishi Sunak’s multi-million-pound tax affairs ‘snuck out’ during Boris Johnson grilling

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:16:19 GMT

LONDON — Rishi Sunak’s multi-million-pound tax affairs were released Wednesday — with timing that cynics suggested guaranteed being overshadowed by Boris Johnson’s Partygate grilling.The three years’ worth of information relating to his tax returns showed the prime minister made just over £1 million in income and £3.7 million in capital gains between 2019-20 and 2021-22, according to a three-page summary by his accountants.In the three-year period, the PM paid just over £1 million in U.K. tax.Sunak had promised last July to publish his tax affairs if he became Tory leader. But the timing of the release — as his predecessor Johnson faced more than three hours of questioning over his account of No. 10 COVID rule-breaking in 2020 — raised eyebrows.The documents were published just over half an hour before the end of Johnson’s marathon session at the Privileges Committee, which is investigating whether he misled parliament. The hearing had been highly anticipated...